


Match for two

by Vault_Emblem



Category: Berserk (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Alternate Universe - Sports, Developing Relationship, First Kiss, Football | Soccer, Getting Together, M/M, mentioned Griffith
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-23
Updated: 2020-02-23
Packaged: 2021-02-28 02:20:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,037
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22866244
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vault_Emblem/pseuds/Vault_Emblem
Summary: Life hasn’t been easy since Griffith betrayed the team, but Guts keeps going, if anything, out of spite.
Relationships: Guts/Serpico (Berserk), background Guts & Casca
Comments: 8
Kudos: 29





	Match for two

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Asdrator](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Asdrator/gifts).



> I had a blast writing this, and maybe I'll get back to it if I get inspiration.
> 
> If you want to scream at me about Berserk and rarepairs, you can find me on tumblr [@bi-naesala](https://bi-naesala.tumblr.com) and on twitter [@vault_emblem](https://twitter.com/vault_emblem)

Life hasn’t been easy since Griffith betrayed the team, but Guts keeps going, if anything, out of spite.

He still can’t believe that joke of a captain betrayed them. The Hawks were the best soccer team in the country, but Griffith managed to kill all their careers so that he could be bought by their rivals, the Godhand. What kind of name is even the Godhand, anyway? Guts doesn’t even think it’s legal having a name like that, but nobody else ever says anything about it.

After leaving them, Griffith started a campaign of slander towards his ex teammates, with fake proofs and everything, resulting in the forced termination of their team and the end of their careers.

Most of them have abandoned sports entirely.

At first, Guts was left alone with Casca – after so much effort to get her to play with them, even she had been swept under the rug.

They didn’t know what to do; only two things were certain: Casca needed some time to recover, and they also needed to find a job.

Luckily for them, they’ve managed to find something still concerning soccer: they’ve settled on a small town and Guts has taken upon himself to train the local team, with Casca helping as some sort of manager.

When they first got there, following the job request, they expected to find some sort of establishment, but all they got was a shitty field and a shittier gym. Despite their initial disappointment, with all the bad press surrounding them, it was already more than they could’ve hoped for.

They worked hard to at least create a livable environment, but soon their labour brought results: even if small, they’ve managed to form a team. Of course, it isn’t a competitive team – there are kids in here – but hey, maybe it will be one day…

It has to be.

If there’s something that Guts wants, it’s revenge. He doesn’t even care about how he’ll get it: by exposing the truth, beating him in a match, hell, even beating him up himself.

The only reason why he hasn’t done that already is that if he goes to jail for assault, Casca would be left alone, so for now he’s behaving, even if this decision is costing him a lot – his pride won’t forgive him any time soon.

One day however, when the time is right… Griffith better be prepared.

“Guts… Guts!”

“W-what?”

He’s been caught daydreaming again. He always tries to keep it to a minimum – he doesn’t want the kids to start asking questions – but sometimes he can’t help himself.

He looks down and he sees Serpico, a couple of soccer balls in his arms, who’s looking at him with an interrogative gaze.

He’s the… well, not even Guts knows exactly what his and Farnese’s relationship is; all he knows is that one day this girl demanded to be a part of the team – something about demonstrating that she could hold her own even at sports – and Serpico was already by her side. He doesn’t play, however; he just stays there, watching over Farnese.

Technically he’s just her servant – yes, people still have servants in this day and age – but in all honesty Guts doubts any servant would act the way he does, though all he ever got was confusion from Farnese and cryptid answers from Serpico when he tried to ask, so he decided to just accept reality as it is.

Their relationship has been rocky, to say the least: Serpico is one of the few people in that small town to know Guts and Casca’s story, and of course he was suspicious at first. He even _threatened_ Guts – as threatening being shoved to the nearest wall by someone much shorter than you can be – that if he somehow took Farnese down with him, he’ll kill him; even at the time Guts thought this was a bit too much, but that’s just Serpico for you: despite his chill exterior, he’s pretty intense.

Thankfully, with time he warmed up to them. It didn’t take a genius to understand that all the news circulating are fake, and Serpico is a pretty sharp person after all.

“I said these should be inflated again,” comes Serpico’s voice.

“Oh, sure,” Guts says, “Just leave them on the bench, I’ll take care of it later.”

“As you wish.”

Serpico has taken the habit of helping Guts and Casca cleaning up after training sessions. For this, he’s a godsend: it’s very helpful to have someone with more experience helping around.

Sometimes he even cooks for them – well, mostly for the children, but it would be rude not to share right? – and he’s a damn good cook too.

Casca once joked that Guts should marry him – “at least I wouldn’t have to clean up after your messes anymore,” she said – and it was then that Guts realized… he wouldn’t mind that at all.

There is no use in lying: Serpico is not only exceptionally capable, but also exceptionally pretty, especially when he gets mad. There’s a particular tingle in his eyes when he’s furious that Guts really likes; some may call him reckless for this, but it wouldn’t be the first time he gets involved into something dangerous.

He doesn’t even know how or when he began to fall for Serpico. It’s been a gradual feeling, ignited by all the times they’ve spent together; by now he’s so used to his quiet presence that he wouldn’t know what to do if he was to suddenly vanish.

Still, this brings quite the problem, because what should Guts do about this?

First of all, he’s not even sure Serpico returns his feelings; he tolerates him, and maybe they could even say they’re friends, but how can Guts know if there’s something more? Serpico plays his cards very close to his chest; Guts will never be able to get a read on him. Secondly, if he really wants revenge, he knows that there will be another media scandal, and he doesn’t want to drag him – and the rest of the team – down with him. It’s all very risky.

If Guts had a plan, things could be different, but he’s no strategist; he’s a creature of instinct, and he acts on it.

Maybe that’s why things turn out the way they do…

Without any real challenge, Guts has gotten restless: what’s the point of being one of the best players of his generation if he doesn’t get to play from time to time?

The best he gets these days is dribbling on his own, sometimes with Casca if he's lucky, but this time, right as he’s about to test if the soccer balls have been inflated enough, he’s approached by Serpico. Huh, he thought he left with Farnese.

“Can I join you?”

“Uh? You know how to play?” Guts asks. In retrospect, that’s a very dumb question, but hey, Serpico never showed any signs of being able to play, so why shouldn’t he ask?

A smirk appears on Serpico’s face.

“You’ll see.”

Turns out, Serpico is a pretty good player, at least good enough to keep Guts on his toes.

He’s fast on his feet, and he even manages to steal the ball from Guts, a few times. Of course if Guts wasn’t this out of shape, things wouldn’t be like this, no way.

Still, he can’t help but to smirk at Serpico’s aggressive style; this is exactly what he needs: somebody who’s not afraid to play the game like it’s supposed to be played, even though Serpico’s been using tricks that belong more to the street than to an official soccer field, not that he particularly cares.

When Guts’ back hits the ground, he doesn’t even realize it at first, flabbergasted by what Serpico managed to pull. In an official match, that would’ve been a foul.

“Oh, I’m so sorry!” Serpico says, not really sounding _that_ sorry, but at least he’s decent enough to kneel beside Guts to check for any injury.

“Wow,” the other eloquently mutters, still surprised, “Where did you learn to play like that?”

There’s a moment of silence, then Serpico sits down.

“It’s nothing special, really,” he begins, “Before Farnese’s father took me in, I pretty much lived in the streets. That’s where I learned.”

It’s less than what Guts had hoped to hear, but despite how little he said, Serpico has never been this open about his past. Guts appreciates the effort.

He grew up in a similar way: before he was found by Griffith, he too played in the streets.

“That’s why your style seemed so familiar.” A small admission from him too.

Now it's Serpico's turn to be surprised, but it lasts only for a moment.

"I figured as much."

Of course, nothing goes past him. Well, it's also true that Guts hasn't exactly kept his origins secret, he just didn't go disclosing that information to everyone he meets first things first.

Everything is still.

It's then that Guts feels something over his hand. A quick glance, and he discovers it's Serpico's own hand.

"Do you mind?"

"No."

He should elaborate more; hell, Serpico should elaborate more, but Guts knows that these will likely be the last words spoken for a while.

In some ways, they’re more similar than they think: they’re both pretty bad at expressing their feelings out loud; they’d rather speak through actions than words.

Besides, even if Guts can be dense sometimes, the meaning of this gesture is not lost to him. After all, Serpico has never gotten this close to anyone, save Farnese but that’s a whole different story.

It seems that what Guts thought came just from his imagination is true: their relationship has really changed for the better.

He turns his hand so that he can intertwine his fingers with Serpico's, lightly squeezing his hand, and Serpico squeezes back.

He can't see his eyes, covered by strands of blond hair, and he wonders what is going on in that head of his. Is he regretting this? Panicking? Or maybe is he just overthinking it the way Guts is doing?

All this stasis is getting unnerving, however. Nothing good ever comes from idleness; when he acts, he doesn't think, exactly how he likes it.

Besides, there's something he really wants to do right now.

The way everything slowly moves... feels like a dream.

It's in this dizzy state that Guts pulls Serpico closer, forcing him to rest with his free hand on the other side of Guts’ head, half sprawled over him.

He observes his expression, looking for signs of surprise - or discomfort - but Serpico's as calm as ever, almost as if he actually expected this - which isn't that impossible, thinking about it.

Guts leans closer, always closer, then he stops a breath away from Serpico's face. He nods, granting him permission.

His lips are soft against Guts’ chapped ones, but if Serpico feels any discomfort in this, he doesn’t show it.

The initial angle is awkward and they have to change it. Their respective inexperience is obvious by the messy way they kiss, but it’s not bad, at all.

With time, it gets even better as they gain more confidence, beginning to explore each other’s mouth and even touch each other; Guts can feel Serpico’s delicate touch on his neck first, then his cheek. He usually hates being touched, but this… this doesn’t make him feel like he should run away. Actually he wants to lean into it, and he does, grasping Serpico’s hand and keeping him there, feeling his warmth against his skin.

When they pull away, they’re both breathless.

They still continue not to talk, enjoying this simple moment without ruining it with words.

At least, this was the plan, but Guts is too impulsive not to smirk at Serpico and say, finally breaking the silence:

“Does this mean you won’t kill me anymore?”

Serpico stares at him for a moment, taken aback, but then he returns the smirk. God, he’s even prettier up close.

“We’ll see, Guts. We’ll see.”

In a moment, Serpico’s lips are on his again, and Guts can’t help but to chuckle in the kiss, letting himself get lost in the moment.

We’ll see indeed.


End file.
